Bouchardon, “Seasons” represented by children’s games, Metropolitan Museum of Art

You probably never knew (and nor did I) that Edme Bouchardon (1698-1762), was the author of Louis XV th statue on place de la Concorde (torn down at the Revolution and later replaced by the obélisque) and of the Fontaine de Grenelle, which was commissioned to celebrate the arrival of water in the Faubourg Saint Germain in 1739. It still proudly sits near Fondation Maillol by boulevard Raspail. The Louvre is organising a large retrospective of his work with the Getty museum, which owns many drawings and sculptures of the master.

Decor for the Fontaine de Grenelle, 1739

The son of an architect, Bouchardon was, in his lifetime, considered as a fabulous artist and after spending nine years in Rome, he was made official sculptor of king Louis XV and lived in the Louvre. His most famous works are the Choir of St Sulpice church, “Les Cris de Paris”, a series of 60 etchings of the little  salesmen of Paris (who shouted to sell their goods) which is fabulously vivid and precise, and « Sleeping Faun » a sculpture, copy of antics that he did in Rome.

Les Cris de Paris, Getty Museum

The exhibition is scientific, the “sanguines” are strikingly beautiful and it is a very good illustration of the drawing talent of a major 17 th century sculptor (until December 5). And while you are at the Louvre do not miss, “Un Suédois à Paris au 18 ème siècle” the exceptional drawing collection of Ambassador Tessin.

Edme Bouchardon, Faune Barberini, Musée du Louvre